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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Summer Happenings

I thought I would give a little update on what has been
going on around our little acreage the last few months.

I came home from Nebraska to find my garden huge and
overgrown with weeds. I had expected it
to die while I was gone, but Virginia must have received enough rain that it
pulled through just fine. The weeds were
gigantic, but after a little time spent pulling them out, my garden is all neat
again. The tomato plants are loaded so I
foresee lots of pico de gallo and homemade marinara sauce soon!

I have decided I am going to plant a bigger garden next year
as long as my back cooperates and turn our raised bed into an herb garden. I am
not going to have anything monstrous, but maybe 15x25, so I am on the hunt for
a reasonably priced tiller so I can get the garden ready this fall. I have read
many interesting articles on how to kill weeds/grass naturally, but you have to
start the season before. We have not had
the problems with deer like I worried about, thankfully, which may be because we have cattle all around our property. I would like
to add onions, carrots, broccoli, beans, potatoes, and an assortment of salad
greens next year.

Remember how I was hoping someone would have some plants I
could dig up for free? Well, I found a
nice lady on craigslist who already dug them and had them sitting on her
driveway - free for the taking! I mostly took Hostas, but I also took a few
narcissus that will come up next spring and some ornamental grass. For mother’s day, I received money for
flowers from Chad and Remy, so I bought a few other things, too. I got a clematis plant for the decorative
iron piece with the sphere, and I also
bought salvia, coneflower, and phlox. Unfortunately, I don’t think the phlox made it through my trip to
Nebraska. I cut it down because the top was dead and we’ll see if it comes up
next spring. I am looking forward to
this getting established and providing some color!

The flower bed

The free hostas add a nice touch!

While we were in Nebraska we decided to bring the rest of
our things from our storage unit, since there were a few things I was taking
from Dad’s and already needed a uhaul. Because of this it made sense to get the
rest our stuff and bring it out here. People seem to think I hauled a uhaul’s
worth of stuff from Dad’s, but most of the things in the uhaul were for other
family members or my own stuff from storage. When we moved last year we left most of our
family mementos back in Nebraska. My kids' memory boxes, family photos, my
grandma’s tea set and china and Chad’s grandfather’s silver were all left
behind, as well as a few wood pieces my Dad had made me over the years. These were things that I could not part with
in my downsizing, but did not have room for in my new home. Our family will
most likely be in Virginia another 5-6 years as Chad is pretty seriously
looking at going on to get his doctorate.
We decided it would be best to bring our stuff out here rather than pay
storage in Nebraska. We ended up
purchasing a pre-built wooded shed to house those things we are not using, but
someday plan to use or pass on to our children.
It was a great savings in the long run to buy a shed rather than to rent
a storage unit, and now we also have an enclosed place for tools, Christmas decorations, and other
things that shouldn't be stored in an open shed. We have no storage options
like an attic or basement in the house we live in and it only has 3 (very
small) closets!!

The new shed

The minimalist leaning in me hates that I have so much stuff
that I had to buy a shed to house it! Sometimes I just want to get rid of it
all, but I know I may regret that at some point. Plus, I am hoping my girls will someday want
these family heirlooms for their own homes.

Other than a few kitchen items, a little decor, and photos, the only big thing I
brought home from my Dad’s for myself was the buffet below. It is a beautiful
antique and I loved cleaning it up. It
now holds my Mom’s serving bowls and silverware and Chad’s grandfather's monogrammed silverware. I had a little spot left in the living room for it!!

So that’s about it for news around the acreage. Is it bad to say, but I am already longing for
fall...and summer has only begun? Summer
in Virginia is brutal with the humidity and the fall is so long and beautiful. I do like the break from
homeschooling Remy though. We also are looking forward to a visit from Chad’s
parents and a mini vacation in July, so fall can wait a little while. J